Meet the VSG

Linda Slapakova

My name is Linda Slapakova and I’m a 3rd year International Affairs student here at Vesalius College. After I grew up in Czech Republic I spent most of my teenage years in Tirol, Austria, moving to Brussels after having finished high school in 2014. Apart from studying at VeCo with a minor in European Peace and Security Studies, I’m currently working as an intern at the Institute of Economics and Peace, and as Communications Officer for Young European Leadership. Last but not least, I am also a passionate Model UNer, having attended several conferences over the last few years as delegate, and more recently as chair, in various committees.

I’m currently in my 2nd term as a member of the VSG, having served as the Representative for Internal and Academic Affairs last year. As this year’s President I hope to ensure a successful transition to a new curriculum, that all of students’ interests and rights are respected, and that all student projects receive the maximum possible support. I’m looking forward to working with all of you this upcoming year and hearing your suggestions, so feel free to approach me any time!

Emiel Haeghebaert

My name is Emiel Haeghebaert and I was born and raised in a coastal town in West-Flanders, Belgium. I am currently in my second year of pursuing an International Affairs degree here at Vesalius College and I am the Vice-President of Administration and Financial Affairs in the current VSG. Having graduated high school in mathematics and sciences, I initially dreamed of becoming a chemical engineer. However, newfound ambitions in my final year of high school led me to be introduced to the world of politics and international relations, which in turn brought me to where I am today. Over the last year, I have truly come to love Brussels, Vesalius College and our small yet international student community with everything it has to offer!

This year, I will be in charge of the VSG administration and its financial affairs. This means I will be administering its internal aspects and manage our budget, all the while supporting the other members of the team and adding to their efforts to shape VeCo’s future and to make our experience here a memorable one.

Feel free to approach me at any time at the university if you have any questions, we’re here to help!

Maria Alfonso

Hello everyone,
My name is Maria Alfonso and I am a third year student in the International Affairs program here at Vesalius. I am a United States citizen from Michigan and, for two years, Texas. Many people wonder how I ended up studying at a university in Brussels. Originally, I was a university student at Michigan Technological University studying Chemistry. It took multiple major changes (Marketing and Scientific and Technical Arts), along with a job in my previous university’s International office for me to begin to figure out what I wanted to do with my university education. I decided to continue my exploration by studying abroad at Vesalius. During my semester here I fell in love with Brussels, the friendly international student body and the brilliant faculty. I realized that Vesalius and the International Affairs program was an amazing fit for me and decided to return as a full time student a year later.

At Vesalius, I will be representing the student body in the Internal and Academic Affairs position. I decided to run for this position because, as a transfer student, study abroad, and, now, a full time student, I know how difficult it can be to navigate administrative and academic issues that come up as you are working hard to graduate. My goal is to clarify guidelines and create supportive policies for students that allow the faculty and students to focus on what they came to Vesalius for, a great education.

If you need guidance, support, or a question answered please feel free to talk to me at Veco or reach out to me on Facebook. Let’s work together to have a great year at Veco!

Rebecca Dorkase

Hei, Bonjour, Mbote, Hello. My name is Rebecca and I am a Second year International Affairs student. I was born in Kinshasa (DR Congo), but grew up in Oslo (Norway). You may wonder: How did I end up in Brussels? The answer is simple, I wanted to study International Affairs and Brussels being the capital of Europe seemed to be the perfect choice. After some research I came across Vesalius College, and after attending the Vesalius College Open day, I fell in love with the college`s small, international student community. Now, Here I am, honored to be your Representative for Social affairs as part of the Vesalius Student Government of 2016-2017.

As part of your new VSG I will strive to do my best to represent all of you to the best of my ability. Therefore don’t hesitate to ask me or my other teammates anything, remember there is “ No such thing as a stupid question.” I can`t wait to meet you all and create unforgettable memories together. Velkommen, bienvenue, boyei bolamu, Welcome!

Julia Hildebrand

Hi everyone! My name is Julia Hildebrand, and I am in my second year at Vesalius studying International and European Law. I am from the capital of California, Sacramento, and usually after I tell people this they ask me why I would leave California for rainy Belgium. The reason is that I fell in love with Belgium during my first exchange trip here when I was 16. After graduating high school, I moved to Antwerp where I worked as an au pair for six months. During that time I attended VeCo’s open day and immediately felt that it would be the perfect school for me. The international community, liberal arts approach modeled after American universities, and the one of a kind law program makes VeCo a perfect fit for me.

In my first year I worked with the VSG as the Major Representative of the law program. With that experience I felt that I would be a great candidate for the 2016-2017 VSG. As Representative for External Communication and Public Relations I will work closely with the marketing and communications departments to recruit new students, foster new partnerships with other universities, and strengthen the relationship between Vesalius and the VUB and ULB. Most of all, I will do my best to make your experience at Vesalius a great one. I hope that you all will enjoy Vesalius and Brussels as much as I do!